Man pleads guilty to federal charges in Pueblo West hash oil lab explosion
A 42-year-old Pueblo man has pleaded guilty to four federal charges in connection with a May 5, 2020, explosion and fire at a Pueblo West home that was reportedly caused by an illegal butane hash oil operation.
Jeremiah Bo Bryant pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Denver last week to four felony charges including manufacture of a controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture and distribute a controlled substance, maintaining drug-involved premises and creating a substantial risk of harm to human life while illegally manufacturing controlled substances, according to Pueblo County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Gayle Perez.
Sheriff deputies initially responded to a home at 994 S. Tierra Buena on the report of an explosion. When they arrived, the home’s attached garage was on fire and Pueblo West firefighters responded to put out the fire.
Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office detectives investigated the cause of the fire and determined it was the result of an explosion caused by an illegal butane hash oil operation set up in the garage and a back room of the rental home. Detectives executed a search warrant and recovered evidence of a hash oil manufacturing operation that reportedly included tubs of marijuana product, hash oil and extensive equipment used in the making of butane hash oil, including several butane tanks.
Investigators alleged the hash oil operation was used to produce vape cartridges. Because of the explosion, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration was called in to assist with the investigation and federal charges were pursued, Perez said.
The home was condemned by the Pueblo Regional Building Authority. At the time, then-Sheriff Kirk Taylor said with the extent of the damage to the home, "this could’ve been a lot worse for not only the resident, but for the neighbors.” Taylor said it was a “very volatile situation” because of the butane.
Bryant was not immediately arrested because he suffered burns during the incident and had to be hospitalized for treatment. He has since recovered and was arrested in April on a federal warrant.
The warrant was issued as the result of a November 2021 grand jury indictment, Perez said.
Bryant entered the guilty pleas as part of a plea agreement and to avoid trial. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
“I commend the investigative work of our detectives, who in partnership with the DEA did a great job on this case which ultimately led to the federal grand jury indictment and this guilty plea,” said Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero.
More explosion news:Pueblo West home condemned after hash-oil lab explodes
Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Man pleads guilty in Pueblo West explosion of illegal hash oil lab
